A Pressing Need for More Affordable Homes
• Over 1 million Canadian families must regularly make a choice between paying the rent or their utility bills or paying the rent and buying food.
• Over a half a million Canadians pay more than 50% of their household income on shelter, some as much as 70%.
• There are over a million families living in poverty in Canada of over 26,000 of whom live in Guelph/Wellington County.
Many hardworking families in Canada are caught in a vicious cycle of making ‘too much’ at low-paying jobs to take advantage of assistance programs, such as subsidized housing. But they make ‘too little’ to provide all their family needs. Many are forced to make impossible choices – providing shelter or having food, and paying rent or utility bills.
These families cannot save to improve their situation, and so they cannot get ahead. Bank balances are non-existent, as every cent of their income is used to cover living expenses. With rent taking as much as 70% of many families’ income, there is no disposable income to rely on should something unexpected arise, such as their children outgrowing winter coats or boots. There is no safety net and putting money away for essentials, such as clothing and school supplies, which is let alone a mortgage down payment, is considered an impossible dream.
Among families that do qualify for subsidized housing, the demand is high (1,370 applicants were on the Guelph/Wellington County waiting list as of December 2007) and many spend years waiting for suitable accommodation. For those on the waiting list in Guelph/Wellington County in 2008, the wait times ranged as follows:
1 bedroom apartment in Guelph 3-9 years and in Wellington County 3-5 years
2 bedroom apartment in Guelph 3-5 years and in Wellington County 2 years
3 bedroom apartment in Guelph 4 years and in Wellington County 2 years
The homebuilding program of Habitat for Humanity is an effective way to respond to these realities as it ensures that shelter costs consume no more than 30% of gross household income and leaves families with adequate amounts for food, clothing, utilities and other living expenses.
For every house that we build in Wellington County and Guelph, we contribute $5,000 to the Global Village Program of Habitat for Humanity Canada. At the request of our members and volunteers we will direct the funds to a particular country or area. This year, we will direct $5,000 to a build in Guatemala and $5,000 will be at the choosing of Global Village.
If you wish to contribute directly, follow the link to Global Village, Habitat for Humanity
